1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device which is suitably used as an indicating instrument for an automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
A vehicular indicating instrument built in an automobile is desired to have a sense of spatial expanse in visual to improve its appearance.
For example, JP-A-2003-247871 discloses an indicating instrument that includes a first dial plate, a second dial plate disposed at a visual side of the first dial plate, an indicator rotating along a front face of the second dial plate on the visual side, a light emitting diode disposed behind the first dial plate and a half mirror disposed between the first dial plate and the second dial plate. The first dial plate and the second dial plate have translucencies. Scales are formed in the first dial plate and characters are formed in the second dial plate. When the light emitting diode does not emit light, the half mirror becomes a mirror state. Therefore, the scales of the first dial plate are invisible from the visual side due to the mirror-stated half mirror.
On the other hand, when the light emitting diode emits light, the half mirror has a translucency, and the light of the light emitting diode that has been permeated through the first dial plate permeates and illuminates the half mirror and the second dial plate. In this way, the scales of the first dial plate are visible from the visual side.
In the other words, when the light emitting diode does not emit light, only the characters of the second dial plate are visible. However, the light emitting diode emits light, both the characters of the second dial plate and the scales of the first dial plate at the rear side of the second dial plate are visible. This changes the display of the indicating instrument and permits to obtain a novel appearance with a sense of space and depth for occupants.
In the indicating instrument according to JP-A-2003-247871, the sense of spatial expanse is available to be felt by the occupants due to the change of the display. However, there is no sense of spatial connection between the scales and the characters, so the sense of spatial connection in the change of the display of the indicating instrument is not available. For this reason, the appearance of the indicating instrument cannot be improved enough.